The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS 2011) that is to be held at Detroit early 2011 will be where BMW Mini launches its new Mini Paceman coupe concept.This 'maxi' Mini, is based on the Mini Countryman, a crossover SUV that looks like a Mini, but is really not very Mini in size (in reality closer in size and type to the Nissan Qashqai). Nowadays the lines between a coupe and an SUV must be so blurred that you can actually design a coupe from an SUV. These are indeed troubling times we live in.

Anyway, the Countryman coupe or Paceman is a showcase that should appeal to the “young modern” and “ extrovert urbanites”, or people that like and enjoy standing out from the crowd, whatever that means. And to appeal to these types of people the Paceman gets a different front end, a sloping coupe-like roofline and 19inch wheels. Notice that the 19inch wheels look right under those arches and it basically tells me that the Paceman isn't mini-small like a Mini. If you get what I mean.

The Paceman gets the same Cooper S 1.6liter engine but it now runs 208bhp and 260Nm instead. The power gets transmitted to the wheels via an all-wheel drive transmission system.

After reports coming out that BMW Mini intends to build a car smaller than the current Mini, it comes out with another large car. It looks like I still have to wait for a modern Mini that is actually mini from days gone by.